


Just A Baby

by nicolai



Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Child Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Sad, graveyard
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-07
Updated: 2016-10-07
Packaged: 2018-08-20 01:53:11
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 357
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8232013
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nicolai/pseuds/nicolai
Summary: Connie takes Steven on a shortcut through a cemetery and is surprised by his intense feelings.





	

**Author's Note:**

> This deals with the grave of a toddler and encourages the reader to think about the child as more than just a name on a grave, if that upsets you, you may want to skip this fic.

“Steven, why are you crying?” Connie opened her arms, gesturing for him to come to her for comfort; she was used to his intensely expressive emotions, of course, but they were just taking a shortcut to a new restaurant she wanted to show him.

Following his pointing finger with her eyes, she noted a specific gravestone, on second thought, cutting through a graveyard seemed like just the thing to end in tears for Steven. He was overflowing with empathy. The name, Alyssa Thompson, and dates indicating the deceased was only two years old. A kite was etched into the upper left portion of the heart shaped stone and an angel was etched into the upper right. 

“She was just a baby!” Steven wailed, flying into Connie’s arms to cry, he knew, as an abstract that everyone died- well, except gems for the most part, his mother not included- but he didn’t ever really think about a child dying; it was just too horrible. 

“I’m sorry Steven,” his kind, but bewildered friend hugged and patted him, “You know, child and infant mortality has gone down considerably in the last hundred years or so, but it’s really no surprise-” she cut off as he wailed louder; clearly, that had been the wrong thing to say. 

They hugged in silence for a moment while Connie contemplated the appropriate comfort to give. That’s what her parents would have told her about this situation, but she guessed it did sort of trivialize his feelings, and the individual tragedy that a child dying should certainly have. 

“I’m sorry you’re hurting Steven, it is horrible. Death is horrible,” Connie agreed, allowing herself to imagine beyond a name on a stone, a life, a toddler’s life, actually cut short. Tears sprung to her eyes as well as she considered who that child could have been and the pain they may have gone through as they left too soon. 

“Just a baby,” Steven said again, more somber this time, taking Connie’s hand to finish the walk through the cemetery. 

“Just a baby,” Connie agreed, wiping her face, and walking hand in hand away from the stone.


End file.
